The Family We Choose
by gottabekiddinme
Summary: The Avengers come to Los Angeles to collect Loki. The other resident tricksters aren't pleased. Follow up to "A Pair of Lonely Ones".
1. Loki

_**This is a seven part follow up to my oneshot "A Pair of Lonely Ones".**_

_**Disclaimer: if you recognize it, it's not mine.**_

Of course it's Clint that spots him. He's been watching a new show, one with lots of explosions and gore, and when a behind the scenes special airs he's eager to see how the effects are done.

But as soon as the effects specialist appears – a "rising star", they call him, named Luke Owens – he stiffens and pauses the show. "THOR!"

The thunder god comes in from the kitchen, beer in hand, and confused. He knows the tower isn't under attack; attacks tend to be loud and hard to miss. "What is it, my friend?"

Clint points at the TV. "Loki. What is Loki doing in Hollywood?"

Thor turns to look at the screen. His eyes widen in shock and he sits heavily on the couch, staring at the screen.

Coulson, who's been spending a lot of time at the tower since his brief death – he's practically part of the team now – wanders in from somewhere, followed by Steve, who's become rather protective of him (it's getting a little annoying), and Tony. "Loki is where?" Neither man answers him, so Tony clears his throat.

"Loki is where doing what now?" Thor still doesn't speak, so Clint answers. "In Los Angeles doing special effects."

"Special effects? You'd think he'd consider that beneath him."

"Apparently not." Clint shakes his head. "That explains why the effects are so good. He's got to be using magic."

"How long has he been there?"

Clint shrugs. "At least since the show started filming. That was…" He raises his eyebrows. "About a year ago."

"Filming began three weeks after your battle in Manhattan." JARVIS cuts in.

"So when he escaped," Coulson asks, "He escaped to Los Angeles?"

"Looks like it."

"So what do we do about it?"

Thor shakes himself, rises, and turns to face the others. "We go to Los Angeles and collect him."


	2. Puck

**Vsama,**_** their last prank war ended in an earthquake, so…it's been a while. Don't give them any ideas, please, especially Eris!**_

_**Disclaimer: if you recognize it, it's still not mine!**_

Tony thinks that the direct approach is the way to go. He makes a few phone calls (all right, Pepper makes them) and in a few days he's dragging Bruce to LA to have lunch with the show's producer.

Bruce is distinctly uncomfortable in the restaurant. It's too clean, too expensive, too…breakable. And something about the producer on the other side of the table has the Other Guy's hackles up.

He's too young, for one thing. With his list of credits he ought to be at least Bruce's own age, but he doesn't look a day over twenty-two, if that. Maybe it's plastic surgery, but still, are a few wrinkles too much to ask? And then there are the eyes. They don't flash, or twinkle, or whatever, they, well, _sparkle_. Like there's glitter in them.

And Bruce is sure that he can smell wet dirt. What's the word for that smell? Petrichor, he thinks. Yeah. That's it.

"I must admit I was surprised that you wanted to see me." The accent is startlingly unrefined. Bruce was expecting something more posh, a London accent maybe. This man is most definitely from the country. Somewhere in Yorkshire, Bruce thinks. "How can I help you, Mr. Stark?"

Tony takes a sip of water before speaking. It's out of sheer nervousness, of course, something to do. Robin Fellowes unnerves Tony as much as he unnerves Bruce. "I recently started watching one of your shows."

Fellowes raises his eyebrows. "Which one? _Desperate Latchkey Kids?" _His brows lower and his forehead furrows. "Or…no. You'd be more into _Gunpowder and Plot_, wouldn't you."

"That's the one."

"What about it?" The disturbingly young face is wary, guarded. As if he knows exactly what they're interested in and he's not happy about it.

"The effects –" The food arrives and Tony shuts up. Fellowes is apparently a vegetarian, which probably shouldn't be too surprising in Hollywood, and the restaurant doesn't serve meat at all. Tony eyes the Portobello mushroom "steak" on his plate as if he's not quite sure whether or not it's actually food. After the waiter leaves Tony clears his throat. "The effects are really quite stunning." Fellowes appears to be giving his food his full attention, but there's a certain tension in his posture that shows he's listening. "I was thinking that I'd really like to speak to the technician, maybe ask a few ques-"

"No." Fellowes still isn't looking at Tony. He glances at Bruce. "Go ahead and eat that, it won't bite. And you, Stark, a mushroom isn't going to kill you. Eat."

"I –"

"I said, eat."

They sit in silence for a while and yes, they do eat. There doesn't seem to be much else they can do. But Bruce is keeping an eye on both of the other men, at least, until something at the window catches his eye.

He didn't know there were that many birds in Los Angeles. The window sill is absolutely full of birds, and so is the tree next to it. He glances at the rental car. Yes, there they are. Dozens of them, perched all over the thing. And every last one of them is glaring at him and Tony.

He didn't know birds _could_ glare. And is that a squirrel on the fender?

Fellowes sets down his fork. "You're not interested in the effects. You're interested in Luke Owens." He rests his elbows on the table and folds his hands under his chin. "You, Iron Man, are here for Loki."

To his credit, Tony doesn't flinch. "You know who he is, then."

"Of course."

"And what he's done?"

Fellowes sighs and rolls his eyes. "Are you going to give me some sort of lecture on justice and punishment, and how he should be sent back to Asgard to face the consequences of his actions?"

"That was the plan."

"Have you ever _been_ to Asgard? Honestly, the place is the planet of the jocks. It's a high school cafeteria where Thor is the quarterback and Loki is captain of the debate team." He grimaces. "It's a wonder he didn't snap long ago. And you want me to send him _back_ there? Back to face the justice of a place that values intelligence the way you value the dirt you walk on?"

"He killed eighty people in two days. He brought an alien army to a planet with very few defenses –"

"I hate to break it to you, Iron Man, but I'm still not handing him over."

"You don't care what he's done, do you." Bruce says. The Other Guy is getting agitated, but there's an unusual undercurrent of uncertainty, respect and – _fear._ There's something about Robin Fellowes that disturbs even the Hulk.

"Honestly? No. Loki is and always has been my friend. That's all I care about."

"Listen, Fellowes, we –"

Suddenly the rose in the center of the table sprouts thorns. Unnaturally long, wickedly sharp ones, all pointed directly at Tony. Their sudden appearance is startling enough, but _they're still growing, _quickly and purposefully, reaching toward his throat.

"Ask me another question about Loki." The producer growls. "I dare you."

He doesn't. The thorns stop growing, but they don't pull back. Bruce stares at Fellowes, heart pounding, the Other Guy whimpering in the back of his consciousness. "You're not human, are you."

Fellowes turns his gaze on Bruce, looking at him from the corner of his eye. "Far from it. And if you insist on asking questions, on looking for Loki, then quite honestly I am the least of your problems." He looks back at Tony. "Right now, we're just setting boundaries. Telling you how far you can come." He smirks. "Obviously it's not very far at all. We're not letting you anywhere near him. You each get one free pass, and you've both used yours up." He leans back in his seat as the thorns retreat back into the rose. "Lunch is on me." He glances out the window. "You might want to go check on your car."

They don't run. They walk very quickly and with dignity out of the restaurant, head to the car, and stare at it in dismay.

The shiny red Cadillac is covered in bird droppings. And if that weren't enough, there are acorns stuck in the tires, between the hood and the windshield, everywhere there's an opening. When Tony opens the driver's side door, a dozen drop to the ground. "I think this is a warning."

"What, the thorns weren't enough?"

Tony looks across the car at Bruce. "Just so I'm clear, did we just get threatened by…birds and flowers?"

"Actually I think we just got threatened by Puck."

Tony blinks. "Puck? From Shakespeare?"

"I think the play left a few things out. Let's get this thing washed, I want to get someplace safe and call the others."

"Yeah." Tony glances worriedly at a nearby tree. "And fast, I don't like the way that squirrel is looking at me."


	3. Raven

_**Disclaimer: Still not mine!**_

Thor is uneasy.

Tony's description of the encounter with Puck was a little unnerving; of all Loki's friends, Puck has always seemed the calmest, the most reasonable. He described himself as the least of their problems.

He's right.

Thor finds himself wishing he had paid more attention to Loki's other friends. He has no idea who else might be here, and he does not like the uncertainty. He is not accustomed to it.

He has been wandering around the city for a long time now, with no real purpose, essentially hoping to spot Loki so that he can simply seize him and leave.

Instead he sees something else.

He is across the street from a round building that rises about thirteen stories from the ground. Resting on a sixth story ledge are two black specks, specks that fill him with a sense of familiarity.

"Huginn? Munnin?"

Something flies past his head, straight toward his father's servants. He sees that it is another raven, and it appears to be scolding Huginn and Munnin. Before long it starts pecking at them.

"I told your father his spies were not welcome in my territory." The smooth voice is coming from behind his right shoulder. "Did he think I was joking?"

Thor turns to face the man. He has to look down at him.

"When I said spies," Raven turns from the birds to look at Thor. "I also meant sons."

Thor has always found those piercing black eyes unnerving.

"I am not here to spy on you."

"I know that."

"Do you know why I am here, then?"

Raven shrugs. "You wanted a Pink's hot dog?"

Thor blinks. He knows what hot dogs are, but… "Pink?"

"Not Pink. Pink's." Raven shakes his head. "It's food, you'll figure it out. As I recall, food is one of your major motivations."

"I am looking for-"

"I know." Raven looks back at the birds. Huginn and Munnin are flying away, sending indignant calls back at the third bird. Raven frowns. "Now that was rude. They had no right to insult his mother."

"Raven –"

"Do you think I'm a softer touch than Puck?" He glares at Thor.

Thor tries a different tack. "He is a threat to humanity –"

"He did not threaten _my _people."

"He threatened them all!"

"My people are safe and Loki is no longer a threat to yours." His voice is harsher now, reminiscent of his bird's screech. "Leave him be."

Thor straightens. "I cannot. I have to take my brother home to face our father."

Raven laughs. "Your brother."

"He _is _my brother!"

"Then why does he refuse to claim you as one?" Thor has no answer. "You don't understand, do you." Raven shakes his head. "But then you never did."

"Understand what?"

"Does it bother you, Thor? That yet again he's come to _us_ with his problem? He's never gone to you. What does that say about who his real family is?"

Thor does not want to admit that he has had the same thoughts. He wonders if it is possible that Loki thinks these people love him more than he does.

The idea makes his heart ache.

"Will you at least let me see him?"

Raven gives him a considering look. "Maybe. Someday. But not anytime soon." He shakes himself and stretches. The bird on the ledge takes this as a signal to return and flies to perch on his shoulder. "Tell Odin to keep his birds away from me. My birds don't like them any more than I do, I won't be responsible for what happens next time."

"Heimdall can't see this city."

"Of course not. You do realize who lives here, right? If we don't want to be seen, we won't be." Raven turns and starts walking away. "Oh, and try Pink's." He calls back over his shoulder. "You'll like it."

_**AN: Not as funny as last time, I know. Just a couple of notes: the building the ravens are on is the Capitol Records Tower. Also, Raven is a creator god as well as a trickster in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. He's described as protective of humans, but I figured if there are other gods around, he'd just be protective of his own people - and none of them were in Stuttgart or New York. Raven turned out a little more mellow than Puck, but then, he realizes that this is hard for Thor. He's being nice. But he really hates Huginn and Munnin.**_


	4. Anansi

_**AN: I know, I know! It has been WAY too long.**__**But I was worrying about school and then I was moving and this just wouldn't come easily. And I changed the title. New one is from the quote "Friends are the family we choose for ourselves" (Edna Buchanan).**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own the Avengers. Although again, if Jeremy Renner is available…**_

Neither of them is afraid of spiders. They can't afford to be. How could they do their jobs if they panicked every time a spider dropped in front of them?

But the four spiders following them are a little…unsettling. Trained to notice anything unusual in their environment, they saw them when they turned the first corner.

Clint raises an eyebrow at Natasha, who gives a small shrug in return. He starts mentally listing known mutants who can control animals. There aren't many. He's about to ask if she's heard of any more when she reaches out and stops him midstep.

The spiders have come down from the wall and are standing in front of them, staring up. One, the biggest, lifts itself up on its back legs, makes an odd little gesture, then drops back down and starts skittering away. After a few feet it stops, turns, and repeats the action.

Clint and Natasha look at each other. "I think it wants us to follow it?" She sounds just slightly confused. Even she has never been summoned by spiders. The three smaller ones clamber around their feet, trying to nudge them along.

The spiders lead them through a broken fence and into an old warehouse, skittering into the corners as soon as they arrive.

Clint and Natasha stay close to each other, almost back to back, scanning the room.

Clint sees the man in the corner first. Tall, lean and dark, he melts out of the shadows and steps toward them, stopping a few feet away when Natasha turns her head. When he speaks, it's with an accent that Clint eventually places as Ghanaian.

"Relax."

They shift, less tense but still alert. Clint remembers what the others have told them and keeps his mouth shut.

"Anansi." Why is he not surprised that Natasha knows who he is?

The man smiles, showing perfect white teeth. "Always nice to be recognized." He tilts his head. "You people are persistent."

Clint clenches a fist. Anansi's eyes narrow at him. "You hate Loki."

"Of course I do."

Anansi straightens and folds his arms across his chest. "You think he's your enemy."

"I know he is."

"Do you." A spider climbs up onto his shoulder. "Perhaps he was just as…unmade…as you."

Clint doesn't want to think of Loki's state of mind, of Loki-as-victim. It's easier just to hate him.

"You know we can't back down." Natasha tells Anansi, fingers resting on Clint's elbow.

"And you know I won't." The original four spiders are back, and they've brought friends. A lot of friends. They're pouring down the walls, covering the floor except for a three foot radius around the two humans. Several of them are climbing Anansi himself. "It would be in your best interest to drop this. Go home."

"Or?"

His smile is much less friendly this time. "You're not the only black widow in this room. And the others all answer to me." He has become decidedly menacing. Clint doesn't know much about spiders, but going by numbers alone, there's probably a lot of poison in this room.

Natasha looks at him. He nods. Sometimes retreat is the best option. Anansi watches, unblinking, as the spiders back away to let them leave.

Clint's not surprised when their hotel rooms are suddenly infested.

_**No offense to Anansi the spider, keeper of the world's stories and one of the most popular tricksters in pop culture, but I really hate spiders. They freak me out.**_

_**In case anybody cares, Mama Bear is on hold until this fic is done.**_


	5. Coyote

_**Hello again! Meet one of my favourite tricksters. **_

_**Disclaimer: Not mine. And Jeremy Renner still hasn't shown up on my doorstep, dagnabbit….**_

Steve is sure that he's not looking at a dog. Or at least, not just a dog. It's staring at him, giving the distinct impression that it is not impressed.

He considers it. This is not a pet. It's too thin, too wild. It looks almost like a wolf, but…no. Not a wolf.

A coyote.

He takes a step towards it and it doesn't move. Another step, and then more until he is standing only a few feet away. It looks up at him, shakes its head, and turns to trot away, occasionally looking back to see if he's following.

Steve follows it to a corner of the park, and is only mildly surprised when it shifts from animal to man. He's not surprised that nobody notices, this is Los Angeles, after all.

The man looks as unimpressed with him as the coyote was.

"Captain."

Steve puts out a hand. He doesn't take it.

After standing with his hand stretched out for a few awkward moments, Steve pulls it back and stuffs both hands in his pockets.

"There comes a time when persistence becomes stupidity."

Steve straightens. "I don't think –"

"No. You don't."

He pulls his hands from his pockets and folds his arms. "Why?"

The other tilts his head in a way that reminds Steve of the coyote. "Why what?"

"Why are you protecting him? He's a war criminal –"

Coyote – he must be Coyote – growls. "Because I don't see a war criminal. I see my friend. Scared, confused, but still and always my friend." He straightens and blinks at Steve, still unimpressed. "I remember you."

It's Steve's turn to blink. "Have we met?"

Coyote shakes his head. "When my people go to war, so do I. Your face was hardly to be avoided. But you didn't know about us." His face clouds. "We were classified."

Steve doesn't quite know what to say. "I'm sorry."

"Eh." Coyote looks up at the sky. "Captain, let me tell you something, one old soldier to another." He looks Steve in the face again, straight in the eye. "You will not win a war with us. There are five of us here, not including Loki, and you don't want to know who we have on speed dial."

"I –"

"Kokopelli. Hare. Mohini. Or if we feel threatened enough, Kali owes me a favour. And Ares is very fond of his sister."

Steve knows a threat when he hears one, and the shadow passing over the sun – a dark shape that looks disturbingly like a hand – or is it a paw? – reinforces it. He swallows and puts out his hand again. "I'll pass it on to my superiors. Thank you, for your service. You and your people."

This time Coyote takes the offered hand and shakes it firmly, then turns and walks into the bushes. After a moment Steve sees the coyote lope away.

He spends the rest of the day glancing towards the sun, hoping not to see that shadow again.

_**Thanks to HopeSproutsWings for the list of tricksters. Any apparent crossovers are purely coincidental, but still cool. (BTW, if you like mysteries, I recommend Tony Hillerman, specifically **_**Coyote Waits. **_**But don't read it at night).**_


	6. Eris

_**I'm sorry this took so long! I have no internet connection at home. So here's the last two chapters of this and the next chapter of Mama Bear. This chapter is a long one.**_

_**Disclaimer: Sadly, I still own nothing. **_

They're half finished with their food and Clint is still complaining about the line. He insists that they could have skipped to the front. Tony insists that the line is part of the Pink's experience.

Thor is listening to them in amusement when something, or rather someone – three someones – across the street catches his eye. When he tries to stand, an arm of his chair reaches up and winds around his wrist. He attempts to call out, but finds himself silenced.

Seeing him, Clint looks across the street but as soon as he does, his own chair scurries out from underneath him and he lands hard on his rear. Tony's collapses before he can laugh.

Steve looks in the other direction, behind Thor. He's the first to see her melt out of the crowd, although when he hears a low whistle, he knows Tony has seen her too. Thor has not turned, but he clearly knows that she is there. It takes the others a moment to read the look on his face, one they've never seen there before.

It is fear.

She lays a delicate hand on Thor's shoulder. "Relax, Thor. I just want to talk." She twists the fingers of her other hand and a chair slowly appears beside her. Another twist or two, and Clint's chair returns while Tony's repairs itself.

Thor is able to speak again when she sits. "I saw Sigyn and the boys."

"Yes, they joined Loki here several months ago." She speaks with a light Greek accent. "They were afraid of what Odin might do to them."

"Odin would never –"

"Banish his grandchildren?" She raises her eyebrows. "Imprison them? Use them as pack animals?" Thor wilts. "Tell that to Hela. Or Sleipnir. I suppose Jormungandr or Fenrir wouldn't be too pleased to see you." Her eyes narrow into a crackling glare. "Isn't that your sword through Fenrir's snout?"

"The Norns –"

"Screw the Norns. You'd have done better to leave them alone. Take it from a Greek, the harder you try to avoid your fate, the more certain it becomes."

"Please, Eris, I must take him home."

"Why, so you can sew his mouth shut again?"

Bruce chokes on his drink. "What do you mean _again?"_

She rolls her eyes at him. "Read some Norse mythology sometime. Some of it's actually true."

"My personal favourite is the story about the wedding dress." Seemingly from nowhere, Puck squeezes another chair between Clint and Steve and sits down. He nods to Tony and Bruce, then turns to Clint. "Hawkeye, is it?"

Clint nods.

"I have four words for you. Starring. Role. Robin. Hood."

Eris shakes her head at him. "We're not here on business, Puck."

"Well not that sort of business anyway." He grins. "You know it'd sell.'

She looks consideringly at Clint. "Not Robin Hood. Leatherstocking maybe."

"Not interested." Natasha tells her.

"Now, little spider," Anansi slips between her and Thor. "Shouldn't he answer for himself?"

She glares at him. "I didn't appreciate the spies in my bathroom."

"And we don't appreciate the superheroes in our city." Raven sits between Bruce and Tony.

"We have a job to do."

"So do we." Coyote quietly sets a chair beside Steve and sits.

"So this is the debate team." Tony looks around the table.

"Honestly Puck," Eris snorts. "Do you have to keep using that analogy?"

"Hey, it's apt."

"Why are you suddenly being friendly?" Bruce asks.

The gathered tricksters all look to Eris with expressions that can only be described as deferential. She takes a chip from Thor's plate and gives it serious consideration.

"We like you." She says finally. "Not many humans can stand up to us. And the very idea of the Avengers…." She shrugs. "You're chaos. Used for good. I, at least, find it fascinating." She pops the chip into her mouth, chews, and swallows before continuing. "Our only quarrel with you is your insistence on arresting Loki."

Thor shakes his head. "Why are you even getting involved, Eris?"

"Because this is what family _does_, Thor!" She raises her voice. "Without reservation and without condition. We protect our own, just as he has done for us in the past.

"He's committed serious crimes, Ma'am." Steve points out.

Eris laughs, "You don't quite seem to have grasped what we are, Captain. We are chaos and darkness."

"Mischief and tricks." Puck adds.

"Legend." Coyote says. "Myth."

"Stories and songs." Anansi puts in.

"What is mortal justice to us?" Raven finishes in his mild voice.

"We don't care what he's done. We care what he is. And what he is is ours. Leave him alone and we won't have a problem with each other."

"My father will not accept this."

"Then he can come after him himself." Eris gives Thor a feral grin. "I hope he does. We'll have some fun."

"I don't like it." Clint mutters.

"No." Eris looks at him with something like sympathy. "I suppose not. What about a bargain then?"

"Bargain?"

"The tesseract showed you something. Some_one._ Your real enemy."

"Clint clenches his jaw. Yes, he remembers that face.

"Take this back to your superiors. Leave Loki alone, and you'll have us behind you when that one comes."

The Avengers look at each other. The idea of the power they've been threatened with on their side is tempting.

"What if we disagree?" Almost before Steve finishes speaking, the ground starts to shake. It's just a small tremble, but it makes their point. "I'll take it up with director Fury."

"Good." Eris leans back. "Now. Have you done the tourist bit yet?" She smiles, a genuine grin this time. "We're excellent tour guides."

_**In my head, Eris is pretty much the queen of tricksters. Anybody who can start a war with an apple…and Thor is terrified of her because of this one time she stuffed a lightning bolt up his nose...**_


	7. Thor

_Last chapter!_

_Disclaimer: I own the dvd, but not the copyright, dangit._

Nick Fury is not happy. "I sent you to Los Angeles to find Loki." He growls. "Not to make friends with the people protecting him."

"They offered us a good deal, Fury." Tony shrugs.

"I don't care how good of a deal it was, you had a job to do." He turns to Maria Hill. "Since the Avengers couldn't handle this, we'll have to mobilize –"

"That would be unwise, Director." Thor interrupts. "Even foolish."

Fury pauses and turns back to him. "Unwise, Mr. Odinson? How so?"

Thor takes a deep breath. "Are you aware of what Loki's friends are capable of?" Fury doesn't respond. "Sane men would run screaming from a confrontation with any one of them. And you intend to directly challenge all five."

"So tell me what I'm up against."

Thor shakes his head." Raven and Coyote brought light to this part of the world. They could take it away just as easily."

Steve starts. "Like an eclipse? " He remembers a shadow over the sun.

Thor nods. "A permanent eclipse. Anansi is the king of all spiders. They will do anything he asks and make it look like an accident. Puck has mastery over nature, if only because it likes him. Do you really want birds assaulting your mobile fortress in the air and whales trying to overturn it in the sea?"

Fury blinks. Or is it winking if he only has one eye? None of them are sure, and they're afraid to ask him.

"What about Eris?" Clint asks.

Thor smiles grimly. "Perhaps you have heard of the Trojan war?"

"I thought that was about a girl."

Thor shakes his head. "No, not ultimately. That was the last time someone deliberately insulted her."

Natasha raises her eyebrows. "So…all that would be against us."

"That and more. They wouldn't hesitate to call others against you."

"Against _us_?"

Thor nods. "If there is any chance at all that the Loki I know is still there, I cannot fight them for him." He sighs. "He needs them right now."

Clint shifts. "If…if Anansi was right…"

"If he was a pawn, if there is something we don't know, if, if, if." Thor runs a hand through his hair. "I choose to give my brother the benefit of the doubt." He glances at Fury. "And I suggest," his voice carries a note of warning. "That you do the same."

Fury looks around the room. The Avengers stare back. "Fine."

And somewhere in Los Angeles, Loki's family smiles.

_**By the way, I just registered on AO3 and am planning to put this on there as well. There might be follow up fics which may or may not end up on both sites, too.**_


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